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Trendy Nuevo Latino cuisine at the MOJO ROOM in Westwood

MOJO now features yet another new trend in dining imported from South America via New York, and it's called Nuevo Latino cuisine. This is supposedly a hot new trend in a nightclub style environment, where short black cocktail dresses remain supreme and people just love to be seen. Executive chef is David Slatkin whose background is the YUCA in Coral Gables, Florida, and at Chef Allen in Miami. After a couple of low key ventures in Los Angeles in less than suitable environments, he now has a showcase for his eclectic cooking at Mojo, and taking every opportunity to promote it.

In important part of the mix at Mojo is Maitre d' Albert Charbonneau, formerly of L'Orangerie, Chasens and Le Dome. The charming Frenchman runs a smooth ship that is a lot of fun to float away in, with pretty adventurous and interesting food as well. The lighting is very low and focuses on black and chrome everywhere, a design that will most likely be copied again and again. The place was really buzzing and this was on a Tuesday night.

MOJO is the kind of place to take out of town visitors to show off how really hip you are, or think you are. A tiny triumph of style over substance maybe, but still well worth checking out if only for the fibre optically lit bar which runs the full length of the room opposite the restaurant.

The first course I selected was the Calamari with a vinaigrette salad, lightly battered and fried, delicious but it's imperative that it is eaten hot. A ceviche with bay scallops Veracruz style comes with fresh lime, green chiles and fresh tomato salsa, but is kind of pricey at $14 a pop, but extremely tasty. Foie gras with caramelized pineapple and a pomegranate ginger glaze and a light corn masa was absolutely superb. The always-popular Chilean Sea Bass followed, pan seared and served with a delicious lobster saffron broth and pisto vegetables.

I did try something I have never even thought about, yet tasted as a side dish, purple mashed potatoes which is taking creativity to the limit, but is also a welcome trend, at least in this diner's eyes. For those without a maxed out credit card, maybe the Latino Plateau at $55 is the answer. You get crab, Half Lobster Roja, Six Sweet Prawns, Six Oysters del Dia, Bay Scallop and Tuna Ceviche.

The Mojo is one of the LA restaurants promoting the 'small plate' menu at about half the cost of the larger regular size plate. It seems to be catching on with chefs and diners alike, and some examples would be the beer-roasted clams with toasted garlic, orange, cilantro and chiles or the Ropa Vieja Duck Tamale with cherries, pepitas and blood orange salsa. I did not try that this time around but found out later that it is a fluffy corn bread sauced with moist, shredded duck in a chile rojo.

Next up for me, however, were the Barbecued Lamb Chops served this time with normal mashed potatoes and a pineapple mint jus. I had had enough of mashed potatoes by this stage and moved on to dessert, which was called strawberry tres leches, a Mexican version of strawberry shortcake.

I also discovered a new drink here: the Loro Verde (Green Parrot), a delicious blend of vodka, apple pucker and citrus - nothing like the legendary "bottom of a parrot's cage" at all. It is one of several tantalizing martinis on offer along with the special drinks such as the Mojo Punch, a blend of dark and light rum with guava, mango and cranberry juice topped with pineapple soda. The wine list features primarily Californian with a splattering of French, Australian and Chilean wines for good measure.

There's a noisy atmosphere to be sure with loud music blaring away and waiters who just arrived from their latest audition, but Mojo is undoubtedly a trendsetter likely to catch on in a big way in the months ahead.

Michael Hepworth September 2000

FACT SHEET
Mojo at W Hotel, 930 Hilgard Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel 310-208-8765
Fax 310-824-0355
Parking-Valet
Dress-Smart and Trendy
Price-Dinner for two w/wine $100

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